FRESHER Act of 2025

The FRESHER Act of 2025 (Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation Act) would amend the Clean Water Act to eliminate exemptions that currently allow oil and gas companies to discharge stormwater runoff without federal permits. If enacted, the bill would require the Environmental Protection Agency to issue permits for stormwater discharges from oil, gas, and mining operations, subjecting these industries to the same water pollution controls as other industrial sectors.

The bill would also direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a comprehensive study of stormwater impacts in areas potentially contaminated by runoff from oil and gas operations. This study would analyze measurable contamination levels, groundwater resources, and the risk of aquifer contamination. The practical effect would be to close regulatory loopholes that currently exempt energy companies from certain Clean Water Act requirements, potentially increasing compliance costs for oil and gas operators while providing greater environmental protection for water resources in areas near drilling and extraction activities.